With Friends Like These written and directed by Edgar Metcalfe Presented by Grads, University of WA
With a tear in his eye and an emotional catch in his voice, veteran actor Edgar Metcalfe thanked the cast and crew of his latest project during curtain call at The Dolphin Theatre last night. He flies to England on Tuesday having chosen to return to his boyhood home town of Blackpool on England’s chilly north west coast.
I’ve known Edgar very briefly and regret that I’ve seen him act only once but very memorably in the cheekily irreverant parlour comedy, Two Old Queens in which Metcalfe played the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opposite John Michael Swinbank as Sir Noël Coward.
His regal charm was such that I have since not been able to resist bobbing him a little curtsy whenever I bump into him at the theatre. It is clear that his colleagues and friends in the Perth theatre community have enormous respect for the contribution that he has made to the dramatic arts over the past 40-something years and regard him with great affection.
Metcalfe opted to end his long career in Australia with an old-fashioned English-style farce, written and directed by himself – With Friends Like These. Set in the smart suburban home of Aussie businessman Frank and his frightfully English ex-pat wife Joanna, the play is a sprightly comedy of bad manners during a Sunday barbeque for some of Frank’s employees and their ‘accoutrements’ as the wives and girlfriends are acidly described by Joanna. Guests of honour are to be Steve and Nell, a young couple who have recently reunited after an embarassing incident of nuptial-interuptus when stammering Steve declared “I d..d..d..don’t” instead of “I d..d..d.. do” at the altar. It’s a case of ‘don’t mention the war’ for Joanna as she impresses upon her other guests the importance of not mentioning the incident during the party.
Enough cocktails are downed to fill the pool in which drunken and lecherous Gloria goes skinny-dipping. Old grievances smoulder like the overcooked steak on Frank’s swanky new barbeque and tawdry secrets come to light over Joanna’s clafoutis pudding course.
Melcalfe is clearly a director of great care and precision with a wealth of hands-on experience to impart to this largely amateur cast – who were terrific from the meat-headed and taciturn Mitch (David Gregory) who speaks mostly in Aussie slang monosyllables to the glorious ghastliness of Gloria, Joanna’s lush of a sister, played with relish by Kerri Hilton savouring her sharp-tongued wit and pointed remarks.
Plays of this ilk were in vogue in 1970s UK with Alan Ayckbourn (Bedroom Farce) and Mike Leigh (Abigail’s Party) who satirised the suburban middle classes and their aspirational lifestyles. Here Metcalfe gently leads us into certain expectations of his characters with their petty domestic power struggles and prejudices and then deliciously unravels those expectations. You are left with a tinge of pity for hostess Joanna (a crisp performance from veteran old-hand Irene French), as her cosy sense of moral and social superiority is attacked from all sides.
Ok, it’s not cutting edge contemporary drama but it’s a heap of fun and a fitting swan song for a much loved performer from a rapidly diminishing tradition. Farewell Edgar. I hope Perth remembers you well.
I’ve known Edgar very briefly and regret that I’ve seen him act only once but very memorably in the cheekily irreverant parlour comedy, Two Old Queens in which Metcalfe played the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opposite John Michael Swinbank as Sir Noël Coward.
His regal charm was such that I have since not been able to resist bobbing him a little curtsy whenever I bump into him at the theatre. It is clear that his colleagues and friends in the Perth theatre community have enormous respect for the contribution that he has made to the dramatic arts over the past 40-something years and regard him with great affection.
Metcalfe opted to end his long career in Australia with an old-fashioned English-style farce, written and directed by himself – With Friends Like These. Set in the smart suburban home of Aussie businessman Frank and his frightfully English ex-pat wife Joanna, the play is a sprightly comedy of bad manners during a Sunday barbeque for some of Frank’s employees and their ‘accoutrements’ as the wives and girlfriends are acidly described by Joanna. Guests of honour are to be Steve and Nell, a young couple who have recently reunited after an embarassing incident of nuptial-interuptus when stammering Steve declared “I d..d..d..don’t” instead of “I d..d..d.. do” at the altar. It’s a case of ‘don’t mention the war’ for Joanna as she impresses upon her other guests the importance of not mentioning the incident during the party.
Enough cocktails are downed to fill the pool in which drunken and lecherous Gloria goes skinny-dipping. Old grievances smoulder like the overcooked steak on Frank’s swanky new barbeque and tawdry secrets come to light over Joanna’s clafoutis pudding course.
Melcalfe is clearly a director of great care and precision with a wealth of hands-on experience to impart to this largely amateur cast – who were terrific from the meat-headed and taciturn Mitch (David Gregory) who speaks mostly in Aussie slang monosyllables to the glorious ghastliness of Gloria, Joanna’s lush of a sister, played with relish by Kerri Hilton savouring her sharp-tongued wit and pointed remarks.
Plays of this ilk were in vogue in 1970s UK with Alan Ayckbourn (Bedroom Farce) and Mike Leigh (Abigail’s Party) who satirised the suburban middle classes and their aspirational lifestyles. Here Metcalfe gently leads us into certain expectations of his characters with their petty domestic power struggles and prejudices and then deliciously unravels those expectations. You are left with a tinge of pity for hostess Joanna (a crisp performance from veteran old-hand Irene French), as her cosy sense of moral and social superiority is attacked from all sides.
Ok, it’s not cutting edge contemporary drama but it’s a heap of fun and a fitting swan song for a much loved performer from a rapidly diminishing tradition. Farewell Edgar. I hope Perth remembers you well.
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